Happy Thanksgiving! This isn’t a pie.
It may have filling between two crusts like a pie, it may come in a pie pan like a pie, but it isn’t a pie. Think of it kind of like a giant sugar cookie with jam in the middle: the crust is crunchy and the jam bakes chewy and the whole thing is delicious with tea, coffee, or by itself.
This is a crostata, or a torta di pasta frolla, as I am calling it here. I guess a crostata would have more of a lattice top rather than a second crust, whereas a torta has a full covering of pastry, to look more cake-like. Nomenclature aside, this is a classic Italian sweet that is usually eaten for merenda (snack) or breakfast, but would also be great for dessert.
I went to Lancaster recently and bought some Amish-made black raspberry jam that I used here, but any jam would work. Black raspberry has a complex flavor, and I think it really goes well with the sweet butteriness of the crust.
If you have some room on your Thanksgiving table for non-pies, I recommend this torta di pasta frolla.
Torta di Pasta Frolla
300g flour
200g cold butter (chopped into cubes)
200g sugar
2 eggs
100g jam (I used black raspberry)
In a large bowl, rub the flour, butter, and sugar together with your fingertips until the mixture looks like peas. Add in one of the eggs (the other is for the egg wash) and mix it into the flour mixture until you form a dough. If needed, add a tbsp of water.
Once you have a dough, form it into a rough disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Divide the dough in half, then roll out the first half to 1 cm high and line a greased pie pan with it. Spread the dough with jam, then top with the other half of the dough.
Trim the edges to fit the pan -make some designs with the excess dough if you want, otherwise save it for cookies :). Beat the second egg and brush it on top (I didn’t have a brush so I used my fingers), then sprinkle with a little extra sugar to form a glossy crust.
Bake at 350F for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
